Improvement in combined rulers and blotters



n. M. AUSTIN.

Combined Rulers and Blotters.

N.o.140,989. Patentedjuly22,1873.

AM. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPH/C c0. MK (assay/v53 PRacEss) UNITED STATES PATENT.OFFICE.

ROBERT M. AUSTIN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT lN COMBINED RULERS AND BLOTTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 140,989, dated July 22,1873 ap tion filed May 29, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT M. AUSTIN, of Philadelphia, State ofPennsylvania, have invented a Combined Ruler and Blotter, of which thefollowing is a specification:

My invention consists in the construction of a ruler or straight-edge ofwood, metal, or any material answering such purpose, and so forming itthat it may be secured easily to a sheet of blotting-paper, such as isusually employed for absorbing ink from a written surace.

Figure 1 shows, the ruler A secured to the blotting-paper B. Fig. 2 is aplan of the ruler. Fig. 3 is a cross-section through the ruler. Fig.4 isa cross-section through the ruler and blotting-paper when securedtogether.

The ruler 'A is formed of sheet-brass bent into a triangular form, asshown in Fig. 3. Theft; is a short side, a, on a bevel, suitable forruling lines with a pencil or ink, as is common with wooden rulers. Ifthis said edge is made hard and with sharp corners it can also be usedas a cutter, against which checks may be torn from a check-book. The twolong sides a and a are bent so as to nearly touch each other, leaving anarrow slit, into which the edgeof a sheet of blotting-paper is insertedand drawn through the ruler, which adheres firmly to it by the pressureof the elastic sides a and a? upon the soft and yielding blotter. Theruler can be marked to a scale of feet and inches, if desirable, asshown in Fig. 2.

By this invention I combine in one article a blotter,-suitable forabsorbing ink from writing, and a hard straight-edge, which can be usedas a ruler or a cutter, against which checks are torn from check-books.

I claim- The ruler A, forrned with spring-clips a a, combined with asheet of blotting-paper, B, substantially in the manner and for thepurpose herein set forth.

BOBT. M. AUSTIN.

Witnesses:

EWD. BROWN, JoHN F. GRANT.

